have a strong reaction to. three separate branches of the government, so why is the white house nudging the independent judicial branch to take on some that is a controversial issue? >> but the president, in his inaugural address, spoke about several things, and that was one of them. he touched upon it very briefly, and people noticed and he's -- immigration is one of the things he's taking on in the second term of his administration. health care he took on in the first term. so it doesn't surprise me he's trying to put more things on his plate. the more things he can get done, the better his legacy will be. >> certainly the poles sway for gay marriage in the country. but how people react to that nudging of the court could be very interesting. >> that will be controversial. senator john mccain is getting an earful from some constituents in arizona. a town hall meeting in phoenix turned hostile when opponents of

immigration reform challenged mccain. >> where's the fence? >> in case you missed it, i showed you -- >> that's not a fence. >> that's not a fence, it's a banana. we're putting up a banana with about $600 million worth of appropriations. if you look up the constitution of the united states, we're not allowed to have an armed militia on our border because that's what our founding fathers wanted. your problem is with them, not with me. >> feisty. mccain called one man a jerk after he accused mccain from taking away social security to give to what he called a dependent class of people. wow. >> things got heated there. and a bombshell secret is revealed by a respected former senator. he now says he fathered a secret

child back in the 1970s. even more shocking, the woman in the affair was the daughter of one of his senate colleagues. he was new mexico's longest serving senator before his retirement. he has eight children with his wife of 50 years. jesse jackson jr. faces a possible five years in prison. he admitted to stealing $750,000 in campaign funds for his personal gain. memorabilia from michael jackson, jimmy hendricks and bruce lee, even a rolex watch worth $43,000. he apologized after the hearing saying he simply let everybody down. one body has been recovered from the rubble of that restaurant explosion in kansas city. the blast injured 15 people, 6 of them are still in the hospital. and now there are questions about whether the area should have been evacuated earlier. workers in nearby buildings say

they smelled gas hours before that explosion. the center of the nation is being pounded by a winter storm this morning. warnings and advisories are posted from new mexico to wisconsin. here's sam champion with more. >> reporter: it start as a brutal wintery blast, covering california with wind, rain and snow. drivers unprepared for the messy conditions spun out, causing pileups. >> it's terrible, because they can't clean the roads and it will just get worse. >> reporter: and stranding hundreds of drivers, some for hours, after icy highways were shut down. >> we keep having people spin off the road. >> reporter: ice caused this bus to slide off the road, injuring four students and the driver. now the storm moves east. officials already helping disstressed drivers in wichita, kansas. in arizona, the pga suspended its championship because snow covered greens made it

impossible to play. at tulsa international airport, workers raced to clear off planes in nearly whiteout conditions. snowfall will stretch from denver and head east, with up to a foot or more west of kansas city. now the heartland preparing for what could be the worst storm to hit the midwest since the ground hog day blizzard in 2011. here's a look at the rest of the nation's weather. little rock and memphis can expect a messy mix of rain and sleet. severe storms are a threat in new orleans and houston. expect winds up to 70 miles an hour there. >> temperatures in the upper midwest are colder than usual. los angeles meanwhile warms up into the 60s. south texas and southern florida are warmer than usual with miami at a balmy 82. and for some history here. in 2002, there was a rap song on the charts called "welcome to atlanta." now a new take on that idea.

♪ welcome to atlanta we've got the biggest fish, it ain't no joke ♪ ♪ [ singing rap ] >> he split his spleen, wow. that's 12-year-old daniel blooming, doing his verse of "walk to atlanta." a number of celebrities make appearances, including atlanta's mayor. >> with that kind of announcement, they better have something huge planned for that big day. so everybody out there, save the day for this young man, bar mitzvah, saturday, may 11. he's got some skills. >> i love that his hat is sideways, he's got chains on.

that's so funny. >> i love it. >> it's great. good for him. i hope all the stars come to your bar mitzvha. >> invariety us there. we'll show up. >> if you pay for the flight. >> and the food and the hotel and a new suit. >> i don't think we're going. >> we're needy. coming up, red carpet treatment for a beloved abc news colleague. and he may be short in stature, but he has big-time athletic talent. meet the 11-year-old basketball sensation getting all of the attention. you're watching "world news now." when many soles pass through the most trodden areas of your home, your vacuum doesn't always pick up what's left behind. only the resolve easy clean system has foam power to stop dirt in its tracks.

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some of the country's touched by the arab spring two years ago have moved on one way or another. but not syria. >> it's spirled instead into a bloody civil war that threatens to draw in the rest of the world. terry moran travelled to damasc damascus. >> reporter: a rebel mortar shell kills a young soccer player. his teammate was in the room when it happened. in front of me, my friend was just talking to me and he died, he tells me. we're all just athletes, he says. we have nothing to do with this violence. in a suburb just a few miles away from the hotel, at least 13 people were killed in an

apparent government air strike. and a rebel group released this video, which they claim shows them shooting down a syrian jet fighter. we went to the main military hospital in damascus. syrian forces are taking heavy casualties in this war. as many as 16,000 killed. general ibrahim, his legs shot up, his spirit defiant. i asked him about the allegations that his troops are massacring civilians. this is a false accusation he tells me, and had it come down to me, i would have adopted a scorched earth policy with these armed men. but life somehow goes on here. you can still stroll through the old markets. we bought nuts from a very enthusiastic merchant. and you can still enter the splendid mosque, an ancient house of god where the people play in an oasis of peace, while outside their nation drowns in

the blood of civil war. terry moran, abc news, damascus. >> and there has been a debate in the u.s. whether to arm the rebels in that country or not. it seems former secretary of state hillary clinton was for it. leon panetta was for it. but the white house put the stop on that, because they said we don't want those weapons to fall into the wrong hands. this has been a quagmire for two years now. >> we're talking about 70,000 people dead. it's cost the government $48 billion, billion with a b. the economy that's already crippled, now it's costing them the equivalent of that much money. the u.n. now says war crime charges should be brought on both sides, the government and the rebels. so it's just something -- and we have to watch it from afar. >> we'll be right back after this.

♪ welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about ♪ >> that takes you back, doesn't it? of course, welcome back to robin roberts, taking her "gma" anchor seat. we watched as he turned her private health battle into a campaign for bone marrow transplants. >> four, three -- >> hi, it's robin. i have been waiting 174 days to say this. good morning, america. >> reporter: but no one could see in front of the camera what we saw behind the scenes. of a morning we'd all longed for. >> faith, family and friends

have brought me to this moment. and i am so full of gratitude. >> reporter: a day of celebration after an arduous trek that began last june, when she first told us. >> it is a rare blood disorder that affects the bone marrow. >> reporter: a few months later when we saw her in treatment, receiving her sister's precious bone marrow. >> this journey is as much about the mind as the body. >> reporter: we prayed with her. we sang. we watched in awe as she fought. >> i know my former teammates at southeastern, they would go, two pounds, that's it? yeah, that's it. but it's one more pound than the last time. >> reporter: and she wills her body to match her spirit. how was it? >> like riding a bike. >> reporter: shaky and bumpy all over the road. >> my doctor said to me, it's time to take off the training

wheels. it feels good. >> reporter: her doctors reminded us that she's still walking the path to recovery. >> today is a dress rehearsal. >> if you're not well enough to go, you're not going. >> reporter: her sister, sally ann, quite literally with robin now, every step of the way. >> it was the easiest thing in the world to be a donor. i'm just so amazed at your strength. >> reporter: at long last, robin's remarkable journey had finally taken her home. nobody should touch her, but i get to. welcome back. >> thank you. >> reporter: josh elliott, abc news, new york. >> and all the elbow bumping and the no one should touch her is because she can't be exposed to the germs. so she was there a couple days early, because they wanted to see how the lights affected her. but she looks absolutely wonderful. >> the immune system is still weak, but she's not.

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♪ i'm watching, i'm watching, i'm watching american television ♪ we made it. nice. they deserve to be number one. timely, look out, kobe. one of the hottest basketball players in america is just 4'5" and in the fifth grade. >> this kid is so good, he was bumped up from his middle school

team to varsity, where he's proven he isn't afraid of the big guys, including abc's john schifrin. >> reporter: lots of kids dream of being the next lebron james. but julian newman may have a shot. only 11 years old, he's playing guys two feet taller. and guess what? he's beating them. >> they think i'm not good or they see me, they see differently. >> reporter: this fifth grader is the starting point guard on his high school's varsity basketball team. that's right, fresh from elementary school, he plays for the high school varsity team. >> right away, we knew he had a talent. >> reporter: his dad, also his coach, put together his highlight on youtube. it's going viral with more than 2.5 million hits and counting. now he's being watched by recruiters. has it hit you yet that you're this big star? >> no. >> reporter: so we put him to

the best. at 4'5", it sure seems like i have the advantage. but julian is quick. he's one to watch on the court and in the classroom. a straight a student. john schifrin, abc news, new york. >> keep up the good work. >> the kid has skills, no doubt. i wouldn't say that was john's best defense, just to be real. but get this, he was promoted to his varsity team because his first three games in the middle school game, he scored 63, 69 and 91 points. >> you can do better, right, than john? >> i taught that kid everything he knows, man. >> right. okay. and you're the original baller. >> all 5'8" of this chocolate thunder on the court. >> just go to commercial, quickly. please.

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now," mean season. storm warnings go up in 19 states with the threat of blizzard conditions. >> and the storm has already turned deadly as it barrels from coast to coast. it's thursday, february 21st. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> that's how we start the morning. >> he stole my pen. >> it's a crime ridden show on this thursday morning. >> it's a sad state of affairs here. >> this is what we do in the overnight. good morning, everybody, i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm diana perez. the storm season is threatening the entire country with whiteout conditions and even tornadoes.

stay tuned for more from accuweather. also this morning, congressman jesse jackson jr.'s apology. he pleaded guilty to using campaign bank accounts to go on elaborate shopping sprees. >> it is amazing of the arrogance of some folks as to what they're going to get away with, as like no one is going to trace that $40,000 rolex. another one bites the dust. >> and the last thing you see is them crying in court. you didn't think about this while you were spending the money? >> are you sorry you did it or sorry you got caught? >> that was a pretty rolex. then a medical headline to perk you up this morning. cancer researchers just uncovered more health benefits in coffee. how much you need to drink to get a boost. later on this half hour, as

oscar hopefuls get ready for sunday, we'll introduce you to the oldest and youngest nominees. it's trivia for a memorable night this coming sunday. >> nothing more americana than the oscars. everyone wants to sit around, who wins, get wrapped up in the whole hollywood spectacle. award season yet again. before all of that, the center of the nation is getting hit with dangerous weather. kansas is in the bull's-eye of the storm right now. but warnings and advisories are posted from albuquerque to the windy city. our coverage begins with abc's brad wheelis. >> reporter: california has been getting walloped with a wintery mix with wind, rain and snow. drivers lost control. others were stranded. some roads were shut down. >> it's terrible because they can't clean the roads. and it will just get worse. >> reporter: watches and warnings have been issued, affecting 30 million people in 19 states. at tulsa international airport, flights were grounded.

more delays and cancellations in kansas. take a look at this rare sight. a snowman in scottsdale, arizona. and near tucson, snow covered greens halted play at the pga championship. parts of michigan and wisconsin are clearing snow and dealing with whiteout conditions. >> after we got hit here, we hit a car and 70 cars hit us. >> reporter: residents are stocking up on supplies and bracing for up to a foot of snow. >> everybody is getting ready for the storm. >> reporter: the full strength will be felt thursday when it brings more snow, ice and even tornadoes. brad wheelis, abc news, los angeles. >> and the travel problems from this storm are only going to get worse. >> meteorologist jim dicky is tracking the storm for us over at accuweather. good morning, jim. >> good morning. tracking a powerful storm system. snow has started in portions of the plains, that will continue through the day. widespread severe thunderstorms in central texas through the

lower mississippi valley. the hardest hit areas is in central kansas. watch out along the i-70 corridor. 12 to 24 inches of snow by the time all is said and done. the severe weather spreading east through the afternoon into the overnight. rob and diana, back to you. >> our thanks to jim dicky. in south africa, closing arguments are set today for oscar pistorius's bail hearing. his attorney poked several homes in prosecutor's claims that he intentionally murdered his girlfriend. a lead investigator each said there's no evidence challenging his claim that he accidently killed her. and now a bom shell, an investigator is facing seven counts of attempted murder himself. the prosecutors in phoenix are expected to begin cross-examination of jodi arias, the woman accused in the brutal murder of her boyfriend. she appeared to draw a blank

yesterday, saying she had no memory of stabbing travis alexander in 2008. alexander was stabbed 27 times and shot in the head. she insists she killed him in self-defense. from a promising political future to prison time, jesse jackson jr. could get five years after admits he used thousands in campaign funds for his personal use. >> reporter: congressman jesse jackson jr. left the courtroom in disgrace. >> it's not a proud day. i'm sorry i let everybody down. >> reporter: the son of an iconic civil rights leader and one-time presidential candidate had been a rising star. even speaking at the 2008 democratic national convention. but jackson was in court weeping as a convicted felon. he turned to his father to say, i'm sorry. jackson admitted to stealing $750,000 in campaign funds for

personal gain. buying michael jackson, jimmy hendricks memorabilia. a rolex watch worth $43,000. jackson faces more than four years in prison as part of his guilty plea and likely will serve time. not a future jackson or his father ever expected. >> that's only a few of the things. >> let's run through this list of things. bruce lee memorabilia, $10,000. best buy flat screen tvs, $11,000. mlk memorabilia, $11,000. football signed by u.s. presidents, $5,000. fur capes and parkas, $5,000. eddie van halen guitar, michael jackson memorabilia, $4,000. >> a total of $750,000 in campaign funds this man used to buy all of the things he wanted

to buy. by the way, he's expected to have to pay penalties of $10,000 to $100,000. >> a lot of this is just celebrity memorabilia stuff. how do you believe that it's just not -- how do you believe it's inconspicuous and you're not going to get caught? >> you have to know it's not okay. >> human greed is a powerful thing. now to an update on that little girl in oregon who has been severely burned in her hospital bed. ireland lane is up and about now awaiting more skin graph surgery. the fire was sparked by static electricity from her bed sheets, and it was fed by a base of hand sanitizer and olive oil. the oil was being used to remove adhesive, left over from a medical test. today is her 12th birthday. >> that's just an important story, because one official said

this is something that can happen in any medical facility in the country. it sounds rare and strange, but it could really happen when you put those ingredients together. >> this is like the safest place and you would think this would never happen in her hospital bed, where he's recovering from cancer. >> 20% of her body burned in this freak accident. >> and she's such a beautiful little girl. she's in great spirits, which is even better. >> as tough as it is, happy birthday to that little girl. in other news this morning, medical researchers just released the results of an astonishing survey revealing american's fast food habits. the survey shows adults ate 11% of their daily calories in fast food over a four-year period. topping the survey, nonhispanic black adults who ate 1/5 of their diet from fast food, while

the over 60 crowd ate fast food just 6% of the time. and drinking coffee can give you the jolt to live a little longer. three couples a day can reduce the risk of early day up to 15%. too much caffeine used to be considered unhealthy. but researchers now say the more coffee people consume, the less likely they were to die from inju injuries, heart disease, stroke and other ailments. i need to take my pen out of my coffee and drink it. >> that's good news on this shift. we're all going to live to 100. >> just wait till tomorrow with the next study. all right. moving on now. the possibility of great ridicule is the only reason why this is our boom, favorite story of the day. are you ready for a clothing line, courtesy of the u.s. postal service? >> that's right. the cash strapped agency announced plans for a new line

of all-weather apparel and accessories. the line is called, rain, heat, and snow. and it will be available next year. >> they say it will include, this is no joke, they say it's going to include jackets and headgear allowing for integration with your modern gadgets. i assume that means your iphone, ipad. so look forward to that, a clothing line by the u.s. postal service. oh, cliff claven. maybe the best fashion line is to be buck naked, since they ain't got no money. >> so they're trying to make some money, but to roll this out is going to take some time and some money. which they don't have. but, but if you want to get your hands on these hot new items, they're not going to be everywhere and anywhere, they're going to be in upscale stores.

>> all right. nicely done. whatever helps, guys. coming up next, the remarkable new pen that lets you draw in 3-d. pretty cool. and the academy awards by the numbers. from the oldest nominee to the youngest and much, much more. you're watching "world news now."

have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion.

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the iranian hostage crisis isn't something that americans talk about much. it lasted a long time and strained relations between the u.s. and iran. >> the oscar nominated movie "argo" has put a spotlight back on that crisis and on the secretive nation, as well. abc's david muir was invited to take a look inside iran. >> we have just landed. >> reporter: we landed in iran in a country where american journalists are rarely allowed to visit. and rarer still, we were given access to the people, the streets of tehran. above ground, a bustling city of 12 million. below ground, we discover a

subway system, far quieter and cleaner than the subways of new york city. and there was something else very different. this says women only here. the back of the train reserved for women. beyond the trains, the traffic, everywhere you look there's something else on the move, the prices. skyrocketing inflation. their currency losing 80% of its value in just the last year. u.s.-led sanctions tying an economic noose around iran. >> i think it hurts the people. >> reporter: the iranian people. the relationship between the u.s. and iran never recovered after those 444 days. americans held hostage as the world watched. right here in the heart of downtown tehran, what used to be the u.s. embassy of course, the infamous backdrop to the hostage crisis that began unfolding in '79, you can see the gates are still here, still closed decades later. and behind us here what used to be the seal. you can still faintly make out the united states of america

here. still today, the walls here painted with anti-american murals, the guard stations empty. many here hoping nor an end to the sanctions and to the nuclear standoff. david muir, abc news, tehran. >> there is some reluctance by the administration to send troops in there, hoping economic sanction also cripple the economy enough and that perhaps is what will cause iran to cave and get back to the table and maybe pave the way for progress here. >> but there is disheartening news out of tehran. there's high tech machines installed in their nuclear site that can accelerate the production of warheads. so there are talks coming up at the end of february. the next thing that might happen there is an air strike. >> a big question mark. >> we don't want that. coming up next, os cars by the numbers. >> the 85th academy awards in

just three days. what's your guess on the oldest nominee, the youngest, the tallest, the shortest? all that coming up next.

the academy awards could draw a record audience sunday night, especially with seth mcfarland as host. >> if it does, it would go into the record books for sure. abc's bill weir takes a look at the oscars by the numbers. >> it's been 84 years. >> reporter: close, gloria sue stewart. but this is the 85th year of the oscars. by the end of the night sunday, one of these nine films will be named the 85th best picture. maybe. because in 2002, "a beautiful mind" wasn't handed its oscar until the next morning. but if you think that's long, in

1968, the academy awarded its best foreign language oscar to "war and peace," the novel turned film ran nearly seven hours long. you could see the shortest best picture "marty" almost five times in that stretch. and sunday's best actress nominee stood around three foot tall when she shot "beasts of the southern wild." on the flip side, two-time winner daniel day lewis stands 6'2", playing the slightly taller 16th president. and the duke, john wayne, just over 6'4". not counting the hat. this year, lincoln leads the pack with 12 nods, two shy of "titanic," the most nominated picture wins best picture only 67% of the time and no actor has ever won for playing a

president. how do you get the edge? being part of hollywood's first family doesn't hurt. no, not that one, this one, the coppolas. six members of the family have received 24 nominations, 8 wins. so how will the numbers finally stack up? will emanuel reva win her first? will denzel win his second, spielberg his third for best actor? or john williams his sixth? 85, 7 and 4. the 85th annual academy awards airs sunday, 7:00 in the east, 4:00 in the west only on abc. >> well done. >> here's a couple of other facts about the little trivia

for you. the only silent film to win "wings." >> well done. the more you know. [ male announcer ] zzzquil™ sleep-aid. [ snoring ] [ snoring ] [ male announcer ] it's not for colds. it's not for pain. it's just for sleep. [ snoring ] [ male announcer ] because sleep is a beautiful thing™. [ birds chirping ] zzzquil™. the non-habit forming sleep-aid from the makers of nyquil®. ♪

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and for an incredibly clean and fresh bowl with every flush, try the no mess automatic toilet bowl cleaner. this first story in "the mix" comes from the cool tech world. i like this a lot. there's a kickstarter page where people can donate money to a project. you can find this project called three doodler. the video is pretty cool. it takes plastic strips onto a drawing surface. so what you do with that pen, it becomes this three dimensional figure there. so they've raised almost $400,000 for this. the goal was $30,000. so obviously it's doing very well. but it takes your artistic creations off the paper. if you donate here for a

contribution of $75, you get the pen and two bags of that plastic stuff that makes the art come off the age. >> like silly string. i like it. >> technology, could be kind of cool. here's something everybody knows. women talk more than men. >> true dat. >> we talk so much more than men, apparently, we speak 20,000 words more than -- or 13,000 words more than you. >> in a day? >> in a day. this is because we have a higher prote protein. a team at the university of maryland found that male rats were chatty. >> come on. >> so female mice were chatty, but the good news here is girls

speak quicker than boys do. >> there we go. here's news for all you new yorkers out there. apparently, in this consumer culture we have in new york, a brand new thing is coming where they're going to have these vending machines in the cabs, so you can swipe your card in the cab and pay. now you can swipe a card in a vending machine that will sell everything from cologne to condoms in the back of cables. >> finally. >> they have random locations in new york, coming to a cab sometimes soon. >> how many times have you been in a cab -- >> very interesting. that's all we need in new york cabs, more blowing. a mom in new york threw her 16-year-old son a birthday party, now she's facing endangering a child welfare charges because she hired

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this morning on "world news now," case unraveling. the latest roadblocks for prosecutors in the oscar pistorius murder case. >> as a bombshell development involving a lead investigator surfaces on a key day of testimony. it's thursday, february 21st. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning. i'm diana perez. >> happy friday eve, everybody. i'm rob nelson. we'll get to the fast-moving developments in the murder case from south africa coming up in just a second, particularly that new info about the lead investigator. >> something you wouldn't expect. >> that's correct -- that could taint the whole thing. >> interesting tidbit coming out of there. plus this morning, warnings to

pentagon workers about pay cuts and potential layoff it is congress fails to act on a looming budget deadline. the impact of this one could be pretty far reaching. a new reason to study your credit card statements carefully. the sneaky hidden fees that could be costing you and how to avoid falling victim to them in the first place. >> that's a good way to get angry. look at your cell phone bill, all those little things they tack on, you've got to call them out sometimes. >> if you call them and say what's this? sometimes they'll say oopse. >> oh, i'm sorry. how did that get on there? let me take that off. >> you've been paying $3 for four years? but we're not going to give your money back. >> we'll take care of it next month. so important advice coming up in that piece. and later this half hour, he's among the most eligible bachelors on the planet. now it looks like prince harry has a new squeeze. hopefully not that snake. find out who she is coming up in "the skinny." he gets around though, man. >> i've said it before, i'll say it again, i want to party with him. >> he's not lonely often, if

ever. but first to this. olympian oscar pistorius could learn as soon as today if he'll await the trial for murder of his girlfriend in jail or on bail. >> he arrived under cover at the court hoarse this morning. he's there for closing arguments in his bail hearing. that hearing had all of the trappings, though, of a full-blown trial. abc's bazi kanani has the details. >> reporter: stoic, oscar pistorius back in court as prosecutors argued he was a flight risk to grant bail, showing blueprints and explaining what happened the night he shot his girlfriend, model reeva steenkamp. pistorius said they were both sleeping when he woke, heard a noise, grabbed his gun from under the bed and rushed into the bathroom. but prosecutors say pistorius would have had to cross the bed to get to the bathroom and should have noticed steenkamp was not in it. and they say this is key. they intend to use ballistics to show he was already wearing his prosthetic legs when firing his gun, hoping to disprove his

testimony that he woke up in the middle of the night and rushed to confront an intruder without putting on his prosthetics. >> here the prosecution has a critical piece of evidence that could determine whether his story was accurate or not. >> reporter: but prosecutors revealed the witness who claimed to hear yelling was up to six football fields away and backtracked from claims they found needles and testosterone in the house, saying test results aren't back yet. >> oscar will survive. he will have a tough time going forward, but he's a survivor. >> reporter: bazi kanani, abc news, south africa. >> and by the way, the lead investigator of this whole thing, his name is hilton botha, he's set to appear in court in may for seven counts of attempted murder.

so talk about tainting this entire thing, which is what you said. apparently him and two other police officers fired shots while trying to stop a minivan, and killed everybody apparently in the minivan. so now -- >> or tried to at least. how can his background and his rush with the law to say the least not -- how does that not damage his credibility as the lead investigator into another murder? i don't understand that at all. >> how is he still investigating anything? >> that piece was interesting, we talked about this yesterday. how did pistorius get out of his bed and not know his girlfriend was there? he had to roll over that bed. he would have noticed where's my girl? so it seems like this case on both sides has some shaky ground to deal with. >> this case is getting a lot of attention. there was one reporter from another news agency who fainted in the crush of reporters trying to get into the courthouse yesterday. it's getting a lot of worldwide attention. >> fairly small courtrooms, too. they're packed in there. >> that's for sure. now we're going to turn to

mr. lance armstrong. he's missed a deadline to testify to u.s. anti-doping agents and possibly have his lifetime ban from sports reduced. in a personally worded statement, armstrong's attorney said the disgraced cycling champ is refusing to testify. the attorney says the process is destined to demonize selected individuals. he will testify before an international tribunal, but no such tribunal each exists. former police sergeant drew peterson finds out today if he will get a new trial. he was convicted in the murder of his third wife. he's also accused of killing wife four. she disappeared in 2007. he claims his former attorney was incomp tent and kept him from getting a fair trial. if the judge denies the retrial, peterson will be sentenced. he faces up to 60 years in prison. five people are dead this morning after a small jet crashed in georgia. the plane was trying to land last night when it ran off of the runway. it crashed in the woods about 30

miles west of augusta. there were seven people on board flying in from nashville. one of the two survivors is believed to be a pilot. now a major milestone for the u.s. military in afghanistan. for the first time since 2007, more than 30 days has passed with no american military deaths in afghanistan. the pentagon says there are fewer enemy attacks and the afghan-led security operations are finally taking over. federal workers, including those at the pentagon, are being warned about losing part of their paychecks if those spending cuts take effect march 1. defense secretary leon panetta says he may have to shorten the workweek for 800,000 civilians. they would lose a day of work per week or 20% of their pay for up to 22 weeks starting in late april. the pentagon budget chief says the effect also be felt across the country. >> frankly, this is one of the least -- or the most distasteful tasks i have faced in my four years in this job.

>> the associated furloughs will impact our war fighters, our veterans and family members in untold ways. >> adding his voice to the budget debate, secretary of state john kerry, who says the fiscal impasse is a serious threat to american credibility around the world. investigators uncovered the body of a woman killed in a huge explosion in downtown kansas city. and there are fears that at least one more body may be buried in the debris after a gas leak sparked a blast and fire in a popular dining and shopping district. the explosion went off tuesday night after a construction crew struck a natural gas line. winter storm warnings from albuquerque to chicago. kansas is in the storm's bull's-eye with heavy snow, whiteout conditions and freezing rain on top of that. at least one fatality is being blamed on the storm so far. hundreds of flights have been canceled ahead of the system. here's a hazard that most golfers don't often face, snow.

the first round of the match play championship was suspended after a winter storm hit arizona of all places. the 64 best golfers in the world will try again later today. a whitened golf course. you rarely see that in arizona. >> no, thank you. as this snowstorm moves east, schools, businesses and airports are shooting down. >> meteorologist jim dicky has more from accuweather. good morning to you, jim. >> good morning rob and diana. a snow-filled day on tap across kansas here. snow has already started and our system is back into portions of the four corners here. that's going to drift eastward as we head through the early morning hours. that snow will only intensify here. whiteout conditions expected through much of the day. and on the southern flank, expecting strong to severe thunderstorms in texas into the lower mississippi valley through the afternoon into the evening. as far as the snow is concerned,

heavy scenario also be in central kansas. 12 to 24 inches along i-70 just to the north and west of wichita. this while storms bring damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes through the day. rob and diana, back to you. >> thanks, jim. let's hope our buddy jim there doesn't try this while doing a forecast any time soon. >> a meteorologist in australia thought it would be a good idea to do his report as a passenger in a stunt plane. well, he was having trouble keeping it together when the pilot cranked it up, hitting 8 gs. it was just way too much for that fellow. >> he passed out and then the cameras stopped working afterwards. the guy said his body just started feeling all warm and cozy while he was out. did you see one eye open and one eye closed? >> you've got to pay the price trying to be cute tv. >> there he goes again.

>> hold on, buddy. hold on. >> there are a lot of things i wouldn't do for my job. getting in a fighter jet and going back and forth upside down, no, thank you. that's where i draw the line. look at him. >> and his supportive co-anchors laughing. he's okay. >> yeah, he's okay. but how do you -- poor guy. >> he's okay. >> lucky he didn't blow his cookies. >> we would not be showing you that. well, it is "world news now." never mind. coming up, credit card scams that could cost you. how you can avoid being a victim. turning cups of coffee into works of art. the best baristas around compete for a caffeinated title. you're watching "world news now." [ female announcer ] going to sleep may be easy, but when you wake up

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♪ and the man came by and said yes, sir, cash or charge ♪ ♪ i said, put it on the credit card ♪ ♪ write that dude up, oh, convenient ♪ and do the dosie doe. this morning, a consumer alert about a rip-off that has probably cost you a little money without you knowing it. >> it's called cramming. small charges sneak onto your phone or credit card bill by people who hope you just don't notice. abc's cecilia vega has more.

>> reporter: it hits consumers straight in the wallet. a $30 charge here, $40 there. buried so deep in your credit card bills, you might never even notice. tens of thousands of americans were hit with what the ftc calls fake fees, charged by vague financial services like debt to wealth, draining more than $24 million in all. >> it's smart to steal a little at a time, because you're hoping consumers just don't spot it. >> reporter: many of the consumers recently applied for a payday loan or cash advance when they spotted the charge on the bill and called the number to explain, they entered an infuriating maze of call centers around the globe. it's called cramming. the ftc says 20 million people a year fall victim to it. until now, most of the charges were buried in phone bills. that's exactly what happened to susan epley from georgia. >> i think $9.99 was the lowest

charge and $49.99 was the largest charge. >> reporter: inspect your bills line by line. and if there is a bogus charge, dispute it right away with your credit card company. cecilia vega, abc news, los angeles. >> so many people get into the habit where you just pay the bill right away. you call and pate over -- pay over the phone or do it online. check that printed paper bill and look at that itemized list what they're charging you. you would be surprised what you may find. >> they're counting on the fact that you're not paying attention. they make it so easy. and sometimes you don't even have to open the bill anymore, because it's automatic. if you're not paying attention, they're little by little skimming it off the top like in "office space." >> you see those advertisements for the paperless bills. look at your bill, folks. >> every single time. coming up, an earth shattering decision by a member of the kardashian family. >> we are crushed. and what seth mcfarland is so worried about before the oscars.

all that coming up next in "the skinny."

♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> that was loud and violent.

>> welcome back to tarzan, everybody. >> well, skinny is in his house. so we're starting with harry once again prince harry is in the news. this time because him and a model were apparently snapped kissing like teenagers. they've been dating, they've gotten cozy, and we've seen him in all of his glory in those vegas pictures. new pictures now of him and her kissing apparently this happened in a restaurant where diners were looking on. they couldn't believe it. she was sitting on his lap and they were sucking face in front of everybody. there he is once again. he's been very verbal of the fact that he's not a fan of paparazzi and the media talking about him when he does some other stuff that's good too, like he fights in wars and gives to charity and all they talk about is when he sucks face with girls. >> harry does it all. that man does not have a boring life, we all know that. so hopefully that relationship lasts for the next ten minutes.

it will be a beautiful thing. >> it will old news by the end of this show. >> exactly. kim kardashian back in the news. there's always a backlash when talking about kim kardashian on the show. but major news here. apparently he is jumping off the kardashian ship. she wants her privacy. she is saying that the ninth season of "keeping up with the kardashians" will be her last season. she says reality tv has become a thing of the past for her. people are saying, is this a gimmick? you're going to get your own show. because how she of people not going to turn her pregnancy and raising her baby with kanye, how is she not going to turn that into a reality show? but she's saying after nine seasons, peace out. >> it's going to be keeping up with kim and kanye. that's the problem. she's just thinking of the next name. >> that's it. that's the spinoff. >> and in a week, we'll see sonogram pictures. just wait. all right. so this is kind of a throwback, an oldie but a goodie from the '80s.

'80s? you remember "different worlds?" it was a spinoff from "the cosby show." lou myers was passed away. he was mr. vernon gains from the show. he was 77 years old. heart related emergency and he passed away from pneumonia. >> no one loved the "cosby show" more than i, and he was funny on that show. he had that funny southern accent. he was just a good character. sorry to hear about that news this morning. >> but there is only a small fraction of america that's going to know who we're talking about. >> if you're fans of that show, you know who we're talking about. and seth mcfarland saying, you go into the oscars knowing even if you put on the greatest show in the world, you're going to be lambasted in the press. so you might as well enjoy yourself. so obviously oscar is bringing him in. he's an exceptionally funny guy. but it is a tough gig.

he's there to draw in the younger viewers. but the critics always have a field day on post oscar. we wish women >> i think it's going to be the funniest one yet. >> he's more ricky gervais than billy crystal. so tune in. than billy crystal. so tune in. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com.

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i have a lifetime of experience. so i know how important that is. ♪ ♪ you like black coffee? >> i can drink black coffee, lots of sugar. hipsters usually like to come off like they're too cool to compete in anything. but here's an exception. hipsters, who are baristas. >> the 2013 world brewer's cup championship is in preliminary rounds. and michelle charlesworth from wabc checked it out. >> reporter: they were frothing, tasting, and pouring in this barista competition. >> every barista competitor has 15 minutes to make a set of drinks for judges. they have to make four espressos, four cappuccinos and four signature beverages.

>> reporter: katie is the number one barista in america. lou barber is one of the judges. he was reared on the bean and cannot remember not drinking coffee. >> i've basically weaned on coffee. >> reporter: was it in your bottle? >> it was my bottle almost, yeah. what about the rules? lou, this is like a phone book here. 23 pages. the categories are technical and sensory. as the crowd looks on, the coffee takes shape. i have to whisper, because we're in the middle of the competition. but i really like this guy. he kind of looks like ryan gossling. from "the notebook," remember that cute movie? what a cutie. he's got this little jug of looks like moon shine, but it's filtered wrater on the side. it's part presentation and education. >> it's a lot of fun. it's a way to learn about another country. it's almost like a geography lesson in itself. >> reporter: up there on the third floor is where the competition is going on. but they're only serving black coffee.

that's not how i take it. so i had to sneak over here to get my sugar and milk. yeah, baby. i've got to drink this contraband before ahead back over there. but there's a good reason they keep it black. >> we work hard to get the highest quality beans. with all these interesting tastes and flavors in them. >> reporter: they love what they do and they pass that love to all of us. cheers. michelle charlesworth, channel 7, eyewitness news. >> i think michelle enjoyed that assignment. oh, look at this. >> thank you. >> real coffee. i thought they cut this out of the budget last quarter. >> for you, sir. black, the way you like it. >> i like it black, the way i like my men. that's me, working hard. >> if this tv thing doesn't work out, that's where we'll be. no problem with that. >> find me a starbucks. ucks.